Faculty Research

Michael T. Cooper presented "The Role of Nature, Ancestors and Deities in Constructing Religious Identity in Contemporary Druidry" at the London School of Economics in April 2008.  He presented two papers and co-chaired the Trinity Consultation on Post-Christendom Spiritualities in October 2008.  He also recently published the following articles:

"Research Observations: The Meaning of Life in Contemporary Druidry," Sacred Tribes Journal, vol. 3, no. 1 (2008): 35-58

Coauthored with TGS students Jonathan Brown, Rebecca Erickson and David Liu, "US Religious Landscape: Analysis with Potential Implications for American Religious Identity," Sacred Tribes Journal, vol. 3, no. 1 (2008): 73-84

"What I Learned About Christianity from the Druids: An Evangelical Encounter with a Contemporary Pagan Religion," Missiology: An International Review, vol. 36, no. 2 (2008): 171-183.

"The Resurgence of Paganism in the West," Trinity Magazine (Spring, 2008):  24-27.

"New Religions and Spiritualities: Engaging the Contemporary Religious West," Lausanne World Pulse (September 2008): 21-23.

Chris Firestone will be the moderator of the next version of the Trinity Debates to be held in October on the question: “Do relations of authority and submission exist eternally among the Persons of the Godhead?” YES—Wayne Grudem and Bruce Ware; NO—Tom McCall and Keith Yandell.  He will also be presenting a paper on "Tillich’s Indebtedness to Kant: Two Recently Translated Review Essays on Rudolf Otto’s Idea of the Holy," at the American Academy of Religion Annual Conference in Chicago, Nov 2008.  He authored Theology at the Transcendental Boundaries of Reason: Toward a New Kantian Theology (Aldershot, UK: Ashgate, 2009) and n Defense of Kant’s Religion, with co-author Nathan Jacobs (Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 2008)

Kristin Lindholm successfully defended her dissertation entitled "Hospice Chaplains' Communication with Patients and Their Family Members" in May 2008 at the University of Illinois in Urbana.

John Kilner Speaking engagements 2008-9:

 January

- presented at sessions on biotechnology, access to health care, and social ethics at three sessions of the North American Society of Christian Ethics annual meeting in Atlanta--the first of which focused on his recent (co-authored) book Biotechnology and the Human Good.

  February

- presented a public lecture on the ethics of stem cell research, Miami, Florida.

  March

- gave a plenary address on ethics and aging at the Extending Life national bioethics conference, Phoenix, Arizona.

  June

- delivered the Life Lectureship sponsored by the ACR network of homes for persons with disabilities in St. Paul, Minnesota.

  July

- co-directed the national Advanced Bioethics Institute hosted by The Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity at Trinity International University, Deerfield, Illinois.

  October

- preached and taught a seminar on bioethics at Sanibel Community Church (Florida).

  - represented the Trinity bioethics degree programs at the national meeting of the American Society of Bioethics and Humanities--this year in Cleveland, Ohio.

  November

- taught a seminar on bioethics at Harvest Bible Chapel (Illinois).

  January '09

- chairing the bioethics section of the North American Society of Christian Ethics annual meeting--this year in Chicago.

  - launching and directing the new Crossings ministry at Winnetka Bible Church (Illinois), which provides personal consultation, informational resources, and referrals for individuals and families facing bioethical challenges such as those involved in aging and end-of-life situations.

  February '09

- Leading a 2-day retreat in southern Wisconsin for the pastors and wives of two EFCA districts, on equipping the church to deal with the bioethical challenges that people will face in the days ahead.

  April '09

- Lecture series at Bethel College (Mishawaka, Indiana) on Bioethics at the Beginning of Life.

 - teaching a seminar on bioethics at Willow Creek Church (Illinois).

  : Revised essay on "Ethics for the Twenty-First Century: An Inclusive Approach to Stem Cell Research" for a collection of essays to be published by Harvard University.

Writing 2008-9

 Wrote three-part essay on the image of God on the basis of research done for a sabbatical leave in 2007-8.

 Wrote essay on burial and cremation as TIU's contribution to an upcoming publication on the subject.

 The third volume of the BioBasics series (co-authored by JK) has now been translated into Chinese for distribution initially in China.

 Writing an essay on "Ethics and Aging" for the upcoming Dictionary of Scripture and Ethics (to be published by Baker Academic).

 Convening meetings of each of the TEDS department faculty during Feb.-Mar. 2009 to develop material for an upcoming book co-authored by numerous TEDS faculty demonstrating why each of the biblical-theological and ministry disciplines is essential if the church is to meet the crucial challenges posed by today's and tomorrow's bioethical issues.

Laurie Matthias wrote the journal article “Professors who walk humbly with their God: Exemplars in the integration of faith and learning at Wheaton College” for the Journal of Education and Christian Belief.

Karen Wrobbel was elected secretary of the Illinois Association for Teacher Education in Private Colleges (IATEPC) at their May meeting.  Karen will also be a featured presenter at the Association of Christian Schools International's Rocky Mountain Region teachers' convention, October 2 - 3.  She will present two hour-long workshops on Thursday, and then a three hour institute on Friday.

TGS and Faculty featured in Trinity Magazine

Fall 2003

Winter 2005

Winter 2008

Spring 2008